New V-Twin Engine From Briggs & Stratton

Posted on September 11, 2013

Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power has developed a new air-cooled gasoline V-twin engine targeting commercial zero-turn radius (ZTR) mowers. The Vanguard 810 is a vertical shaft, overhead valve engine that will be available in 26 and 24 hp ratings.

With an overall displacement of 810 cc, the new engine matches the trend in larger engines in the ZTR segment, said Dan Roche, marketing manager for Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power. “When we talked to contractor fleets on the ZTR, they were very clear,” Roche said. “They want durability, reliability, but most of all performance. Displacement, or ccs, really determine the capacity potential that the engine has to deliver torque.

“There’s been a ‘creep’ in displacement over time. The last four years, the displacement of the ZTR has risen 50 cc. We feel that having an engine at 810 cc is the optimum position for this engine to be - not just for this year, but for many years to come.”

The Vanguard 810 will also be the first of the company’s commercial V-twins to be built on a new manufacturing line at the company’s Auburn, Ala., manufacturing facility.